Location The Muted Maiden

[Twister]

The Muted Maiden The Muted Maiden remains a fairly small 'hole in the wall' style of building to conceal it's otherwise spacious interior. This interior extends into the old mines under Sunberth, and as the business is set to expand in Sunberth, it builds farther down rather than up. This is largely because if it's use of slave labor entered into servitude either bought or kidnapped. Unlike many of the pleasure houses around Mizahar, the owner seeks to separate The Muted Maiden, in that the slaves are also trained in various skills to accommodate a wider range of clients and offer a richer array of services. The business was named by owner Donovan Tavish, who gave it that name to inspire the idea that discretion is key in the business. Slaves, unlike other workers of pleasure houses, are less inclined to share their encounters with free citizens out of fear. This allows the customers to indulge in acts more perverse than they might be willing to otherwise, as there are less repercussions for their actions with the 'maidens'. This does not mean that Tavish allows the slaves to be hurt or killed, and this protection is more to protect his investments in the slaves than the women themselves. Sometimes, these investments can be considerable as well, from an Eypharian slave learning to play two or three instruments at a time, to a Dhani given instructions on dancing seductively. Interior of the main office, much like the exterior, is designed to be misleading. It is based in the look that would make it seem small and underfunded. The intent was to, ironically, build a business via word-of-mouth so both the larger and more established pleasure houses in Sunberth would not suspect The Muted Maiden as a contender for customers until they already had a client base. The front-of-house office contains a simple wooden counter with a safe behind it and large ledger on the desk. A fireplace to the right-hand wall warms in the winter months of operations, and a small table inside contains a 'menu' of sorts which showcases the slaves, their names, and their specialties. It is also noted that the specialties are not the only abilities they can inquire about for the girls. On the left-hand wall is a bookshelf which contains various texts on social etiquette and reference tools for the working slaves. Individual rooms contain the tools of the slaves' learned specialties, as well as a sectioned off area for sleeping and minor meal partitions, though most of that is done near the office as it would have been too costly to set up a network of pipes to allow for smoke to be removed from the mines. The individual rooms have polished wooden floors and walls build to fit inside the stone and give a 'cozy' feeling rather than the sight of unworked stone. Beds are sparsely adorned, save for the furnishing of the most attractive of slaves, who have a more welcoming place to sleep and, thus, to work. Payment is processed through the owner, Donovan Tavish, as the slaves are...well...slaves. They receive a place to sleep which is also their place to work, and are given the means to purchase food and clothing to keep working, though understandably little else. Payment is made to Donovan himself, who doles how the coin to the girls as necessary, as well as the expenses that keep The Muted Maiden running. . Services provided: 2 gm/session (max. 5 hours) with regular slaves 5 gm/session (max. 5 hours) with "high quality" slaves +3 gm/hour for insurance if "tools" are included Housing/Employment: Being employed by the Muted Maiden is an option for player characters. Because the employees in the establishment are slaves, however, this means that the characters employed here have no income of their own. This also means they will live in the establishment free of charge with their regular seasonal expenses paid for by the owner (Poor/Common). Before you sign your PC up for work and housing in this brothel, please contact the local Storyteller for permission. For employees, a requirement of four job-threads per active season is enforced. Failure to abide will lead to the character being kicked out of the brothel, one way or another.   Donovan Tavish Tavish himself was born Donovan Rusco, a fat man with a thick beard and a waddle to his steps. He was born in Sunberth and holds delusions of being a more refined and classy sort of businessman. This causes him to use overly large, and oftentimes incorrect, words in his explanations. In spite of his lack of education, his time as a gambler and runner for the less-than-savory individuals of Sunberth's Daggerhand afforded him the start-up capitol required for something as ambitious as The Muted Maiden. For all his pompous blustering and confusing speech, Donovan knows how to turn a coin. The problem, however, is that he also covets gained wealth like little else. If there is a way to make more from less, Donovan is quick to find a way. This does not make him shrewd, but rather careful. He uses an easy-going demeanor and overly elaborate speech because he knows that there is a cost associated with any kind of business. He spends what he must, but never more than he must. Skills: Entrepeneurship 55, Rhetoric 38, Haggling 35, Mathematics 25, Persuasion 20, Leadership 20, Accounting 15 Credit for location/NPC goes to Somna Fern.